Olive Oil and Digestion

Adding Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your breakfast can aid in digestion.

Many of us have heard that there are benefits to eating the Mediterranean diet, including olive oil, but we’re betting you’ve never have tried adding olive oil to your cold or hot cereal. Try adding extra virgin olive oil to your cold cereal or hot oatmeal, and adding healthy fats to your breakfast is a surprisingly great way to get an extra punch of nutrients and energy, plus flavor, into your morning bowl.

How Olive Oil Aids in Digestion

Keep your digestive tract healthy. Olive oil is a natural product and when taken regularly can help with ease of elimination.
It reinforces the mucus lining of the colon, which gets worn down from passing hard stools.
Because of its texture and consistency, olive oil lubricates your digestive system, helping everything move more easily through the colon.
It contains fats, or monounsaturated oils, that increase the speed of bowel evacuation.
Olive oil is rich in iron, vitamins E and K, antioxidants, omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids.
Research reveals that olive oil contains polyphenolic compounds that decrease “oxidative damage to cellular DNA” which results in “effectively decreasing promotion of colon cancer.”¹
It stimulates the gallbladder, causing the release of bile, which helps digest the fats in your digestive tract.
In addition to stimulating the release of bile, olive oil stimulates intestinal muscle contractions, which soften stools and makes them easier to evacuate.

Adding healthy fats to your breakfast is a great way to kick start your metabolism & energize you all day.

Olive Oil in a Variety of Ways

First thing in the morning, swallow 1 teaspoon of pure, raw, extra virgin olive oil, then immediately eat a fibrous fruit like an apple or an orange. This also aids in managing your weight.
If eating granola or cereal, add a bit of milk and about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Have an amazing omelet or whole-oats cereal with fruits, nuts, or seeds, and add extra virgin olive oil.
In the evening, eat fiber-rich vegetables like broccoli.
Drizzle olive oil over fruits or vegetables to lubricate your system while consuming the fiber your body needs.
Using olive oil throughout the day to cook meals and dress salads will also improve your symptoms.

References:

Rigacci, S., & Stefani, M. (2016). Nutraceutical Properties of Olive Oil Polyphenols. An Itinerary from Cultured Cells through Animal Models to Humans. International journal of molecular sciences, 17(6), 843. doi:10.3390/ijms17060843